As we mentioned a few weeks ago the Oregon Senate had passed a R2R bill. Now the state House has passed the bill (SB 1596) by a 42 to 13 margin. Now, it goes to Gov. Tina Kotek, who has five days after it gets to her desk to sign it into law. NWIDA has written to the Governor, asking her to pass it as soon as possible.
The law requires manufacturers to make repair more accessible by providing open access to the parts, tools and information needed to fix things, many of which manufacturers are currently restricting to “authorized” service centers. Oregon’s bill is the first to ban manufacturers from using software to prevent technicians from fully installing spare parts, a practice called “parts pairing.”
According to a test by iFixit, after you switch the screens from two identical iPhone 15s, the front-facing camera, face ID unlocking feature and auto-brightness stop working. The phone recognizes each part connected to it and restricts the ability to replace parts without a proprietary process to restore functionality.
“The Right to Repair keeps getting stronger. Oregon has passed the best bill yet,” said PIRG Right to Repair Campaign Senior Director Nathan Proctor. “By keeping products running and off the scrap heap, repair cuts waste and saves consumers money. People are tired of not being able to fix things. Lawmakers have gotten the message and, in turn, are sending that message to the manufacturers.”
“I’m beyond proud of my home state for passing the strongest-yet electronics Right to Repair bill,” said Kyle Wiens, the CEO of iFixit. “By applying to most products made after 2015, this law will open up repair for the things Oregonians need to get fixed right now. And by limiting the repair-restricting practices of parts pairing, it protects fixing for years to come. We won’t stop fighting until everyone, everywhere has these rights.”
“Oregon’s Right to Repair Act is about saving Oregonians money and supporting small business growth in Oregon. It provides positive environmental action by reducing e-waste, cutting pollution by manufacturing less waste and creating an after-market inventory of products to close the digital divide across our state”, said Senator Janeen Sollman, the Chief Sponsor in the Senate. “Oregonians deserve to have affordable and sustainable options for repairing their electronics instead of throwing them away or replacing them.”
The legislation covers consumer electronics and appliances, with the exception of video game consoles, heating and air conditioning units and vehicles. It applies to all covered electronics made after 2015, except cell phones, where it covers all devices made after July, 2021.
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